Alexis Creek’s Jake Ilnicki and his Northampton Saints rugby teammates defeated Gloucester United 36-8 Monday to become the Aviva ‘A’ League champions.
The Team Canada rugby prop spent the 2016/17 season in England working his way up the ranks to earn valuable minutes in the English Premiership.
“We are lucky to have the Aviva ‘A’ League set up on the side of the main squad to still get game time throughout the season,” Ilnicki said. “The people in Northampton really love their rugby so we had quite an awesome crowd Monday night when we played the final against a strong Gloucester team.”
In the final, despite trailing by one at the half, the Wanderers scored 29 points in the second 40 minutes to win the championship in front of a raucous crowd at Frankin’s Gardens.
Ilnicki, meanwhile, said the win reflects all the hard work the Saints have put in despite not always receiving playing time with the main squad.
“I’ve certainly enjoyed my first taste of England Premiership Rugby, but it hasn’t come so easily,” Ilnicki told the Tribune.
“It’s been a challenge for me to get some playing time with the main squad, but that’s how it works over here in the big league.
Players have to put in quite a bit of work on and off the field to earn their jersey each week and, unfortunately for me, there are some quality players that have been here for quite a while and have been performing pretty well all season in my position but I’ve definitely learned quite a bit from them and they have pushed me to be a better player.”
He added it’s special to him to be able to leave Northampton with a championship and that the final was a memorable day he was able to share with his teammates.
Now, Ilnicki is shifting his attention to Team Canada.
“Right now my focus is shifting towards the summer series with the Canadian team,” he said.
“We’ve got some big tests coming up against Georgia and Romania in Alberta, then two games against the U.S. — first in Hamilton, then down in San Diego.
“The games against the U.S. are really important because if we win both those then we qualify for the 2019 World Cup in Japan.”
Ilnicki began his rugby career with Williams Lake Secondary School, before becoming a member of the Williams Lake Rustlers.
He then moved on to play for the New South Wales Country Eagles in Australia before competing as a member of Team Canada at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
In 2016, Ilnicki was signed to the San Diego Breakers PRO Rugby team, however, made the move in December of 2016 to play for the Saints.